Before she was Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot), she was Diana, Princess of the Amazons, trained to be an unconquerable warrior. Raised on a sheltered island paradise, Diana meets an American pilot (Chris Pine) who tells her about the massive conflict that’s raging in the outside world. Convinced that she can stop the threat, Diana leaves her home for the first time. Fighting alongside men in a war to end all wars, she finally discovers her full powers and true destiny.

Credit: Warner Bros.

Warner Brothers first venture into their own superhero cinematic universe, the DCEU, opened to an uneven start, dividing both critics and fans with its emphasis on darker elements. Man of Steel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Suicide Squad all lacked the positive response needed to go forward with a blemish-free expanded universe. Needless to say, the DC community’s ongoing support wasn’t enough to bring in global box-office success.

Batman and Superman have both headlined recent iterations, giving us more DC adventures, but fans have been waiting a long time for the Amazonian princess Wonder Woman to get a shot at the big screen.

These dreams cam true in 2016, with the lukewarm Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, as Gal Gadot gave us a universality praised performance. Due to the character’s popularity, Warner Bros. green lit an origin movie based on the Wonder Woman’s origin story.

Patty Jenkins (Monster) was chosen to direct the long-awaited adaptation of Wonder Woman, which excited filmgoers due to her previous film being an Oscar-winner. Patty Jenkins is known for giving smaller lesser-known actresses career-defining roles, and having the keys to the first female-led superhero movie felt like the right thing, as her work is always character driven.

But apart from being the first female led superhero flick, does Wonder Woman stack up against the competition? Find out, as we delve into the next big DCEU movie.

Credit: Warner Bros.

Wonder Woman (2017) is a triumph for the 75-year-old DC Comics princess, concentrating on the character’s golden fundamentals and quirks, but also reinventing her origin for a new audience. Wonder Woman is one fun ride; giving fans a superhero that goes back to the cool mix that Superman (1978) brought to cinema.

The movie has personality, and is not frightened to go in another direction completely; dropping the complex and interconnected storytelling seen in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016). Gone is the forced world-building, as those efforts are swapped out for a more developed character, driven adventure, filled with laughter and hope – something that has been lost in this genre.

Patty Jenkins enters the superhero genre feet first with Wonder Woman (2017), making a terrifically fun adventure film, with one serious message. It’s the perfect balance.

Jenkins makes her audience root for good, instead of the indefinite desperadoes in Suicide Squad. Comedy is an important factor here, as the fish-out-of-water theme carries through the run-time. Wonder Woman (2017) understands how to respect the character; developing Diana Prince thoroughly.